Jack McGrath has changed his training routine in an effort to return to the Ireland starting XV for the NatWest Six Nations opener against France next month.

Having been a replacement once since the 2015 World Cup, and winning three caps for the British & Irish Lions last summer, McGrath’s fell behind Cian Healy and Dave Kilcoyne in the autumn.

After captaining Leinster for the first time, to victory over Munster at Thomond Park, the 28-year-old is positive about his chances of returning to Joe Schmidt’s side. McGrath thinks he was “undercooked” in November, having played only four hours of rugby when Ireland duty arrived.

“If you are a little bit behind the pace, you stand out in a negative sense, for me it is…